Measure Up Pressure Down American Medical Group Foundation

High Blood Pressure Facts and Sources

Health Toll

• 68 million Americans – 1 in every 3 U.S. adults – have high blood pressure.
  • Kochanek KD, Xu JQ, Murphy SL, Miniño AM, Kung HC. Deaths: final data for 2009. National vital statistics reports. 2011; 60 (3).
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vital signs: prevalence, treatment, and control of hypertension—United States, 1999-2002 and 2005-2008. MMWR. 2011; 60 (4):103-8.
• Less than half of people with high blood pressure have their condition under control.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vital signs: prevalence, treatment, and control of hypertension—United States, 1999-2002 and 2005-2008. MMWR. 2011; 60 (4):103-8.
• High blood pressure contributes to nearly 1,000 deaths a day.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vital signs: prevalence, treatment, and control of hypertension—United States, 1999-2002 and 2005-2008. MMWR. 2011; 60 (4):103-8.
• Approximately 20% of U.S. adults with high blood pressure don’t know they have it.
  • Roger VL, Go AS, Lloyd-Jones DM, Benjamin EJ, Berry JD, Borden WB, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2012 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2012; 125 (1): e2–220.
• Additionally, almost 30% of American adults have prehypertension, which raises the risk of developing high blood pressure.
  • Roger VL, Go AS, Lloyd-Jones DM, Benjamin EJ, Berry JD, Borden WB, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2012 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2012; 125 (1): e2–220.
• 69% of people who have a first heart attack, 77% of people who have a first stroke, and 74% of people with chronic heart failure have high blood pressure.
  • Roger VL, Go AS, Lloyd-Jones DM, Benjamin EJ, Berry JD, Borden WB, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2012 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2012; 125 (1): e2–220.
• In 2009, nearly 350,000 American deaths included high blood pressure as a primary or contributing cause.
  • Roger VL, Go AS, Lloyd-Jones DM, Benjamin EJ, Berry JD, Borden WB, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2012 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2012; 125 (1) :e2–220.
• The U.S. isn’t the only country facing high blood pressure; globally, 40% of adults ages 25 and older had high blood pressure in 2008.
  • World Health Organization. Raised blood pressure: situations and trends. Available at: http://www.who.int/gho/ncd/risk_factors/blood_pressure_prevalence/en/

Financial Costs

• High blood pressure costs the nation $47.5 billion annually in direct medical expenses, and an additional $3.5 billion each year in lost productivity.
  • Heidenreich PA, Trogdon JG, Khavjou OA, Butler J, Dracup K, Ezekowitz MD, et al. Forecasting the future of cardiovascular disease in the United States: a policy statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2011; 123 (8): 933-44. Epub 2011 Jan 24.
• Costs to the nation due to high blood pressure are estimated at $131 billion in health care services, medications and missed days of work.
  • Heidenreich PA, Trogdon JG, Khavjou OA, Butler J, Dracup K, Ezekowitz MD, et al. Forecasting the future of cardiovascular disease in the United States: a policy statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2011; 123 (8) : 933-44. Epub 2011 Jan 24.
• Annual costs directly attributable to high blood pressure are projected to increase $130.4 billion (in real 2008 dollars) in 2030 compared with 2010, for a total projected annual cost of $200.3 billion by 2030.
  • Heidenreich PA, Trogdon JG, Khavjou OA, Butler J, Dracup K, Ezekowitz MD, et al. Forecasting the future of cardiovascular disease in the United States: a policy statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2011; 123 (8) : 933-44. Epub 2011 Jan 24.
• Reducing average population sodium intake from 3,300 mg to 2,300 mg per day may save $18 billion in health care costs and reduce cases of high blood pressure by 11 million annually.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. High Blood Pressure Fact Sheet. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_bloodpressure.htm

Health Disparities

• The disease is more prevalent among African American adults than White and Mexican American adults. Prevalence in populations: African Americans (43.0% men, 45.7% women), Whites (33.9% men, 31.3% women), Mexican Americans (27.8% men, 28.9% women). All men 34.1% and all women 32.7%.
  • Measure Up/Pressure Down® High Blood Pressure Facts Infographic.
• In relation to Caucasian or Hispanic American adults, African Americans tend to get high blood pressure earlier in life; often have more severe high blood pressure; are more likely to be aware that they have high blood pressure and to get treatment; are less likely than Caucasians to achieve target control levels with high blood pressure treatment; and have higher rates than Caucasians of early death from HBP-related problems, such as coronary heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Who is at Risk for High Blood Pressure? Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hbp/atrisk.html
• Among Hispanic American adults, high blood pressure risks vary by group. Puerto Rican American adults have higher rates of high blood pressure-related death than all other Hispanic groups and Caucasians. Cuban Americans have lower rates of high blood pressure-related death than Caucasians.
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Who is at Risk for High Blood Pressure? Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hbp/atrisk.html
• Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have among the lowest rates of high blood pressure, at 9.7% for men and 8.4% for women.
  • Atlanta Medical Center. What’s Race Got to Do with High Blood Pressure? Available at: http://www.atlantamedcenter.com/en-us/ourservices/communityservices/pages/what%E2%80%99s%20race%20got%20to%20do%20with%20high%20blood%20pressure.aspx